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1976/03/24 - Swine Influenza Immunization Program Meeting” of the James M The original documents are located in Box 57, folder “1976/03/24 - Swine Influenza Immunization Program Meeting” of the James M. Cannon Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Digitized from Box 57 of the James M. Cannon Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library INFLUENZA MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT Wednesday, ~1arch 24, 1976 3:30 p.m. Roosevelt Room THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON March 24, 1976 MEETING ON SWINE INFLUENZA IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM Wednesday, March 24, 1976 3:30p.m. (one hour) The Cabinet Room \. From: Jim Cannon\ \'r.."" ! ·~;.'! . ""'\. \i I. PURPOSE To discuss with influenza experts, medical professionals, public health officers, pharmaceutical executives, and public officials plans for a Federal initiative to immunize all Americans against swine influenza. II. BACKGROUND, PARTICIPANTS & PRESS PLAN A. Background: On Monday, you met with Secretary Mathews, Dr. Ted Cooper, Jim Lynn, Paul O'Neill, Jim Cavanaugh and me about a possible outbreak of swine influenza this coming winter. You directed that a meeting be convened with various experts and public officials to seek their evaluation of the extent of the problem and the appropriate course of action. B. Participants: See attached list. Special Note: Included in the participants are Dr. Jonas Salk and Dr. Albert Sabin who both played key roles in developing the two major types of polio vaccine. c. Press Plan: To be announced. White House photo. You would go to the press briefing room at the conclusion of the meeting and announce your decisions. (Statement to be provided). 2 III. TALKING POINTS 1. I have been following with great interest the recent developments concerning a possible outbreak of swine influenza next winter. 2. Monday, I received an update on the situation from Secretary Mathews and Dr. Cooper on the potential seriousness of this matter, and I directed them to convene this meeting. 3. I will ask both Secretary Mathews and Dr. Cooper to comment briefly on the situation that now confronts us. Then Dr. Sencer, Director of the Center for Disease Control, will present the details of our recent activities. (AT THE CONCLUSION OF DR. SENCER'S REMARKS:? 4. Let me open the discussion by raising three questions of vital concern to me: a) I want to ask Dr. Salk, Dr. Sabin and Dr. Stallones if they feel that we have sufficient evidence that a potential epidemic exists to undertake a nationwide program of prevention. b) Mr. Hilleman could comment on the capability of the pharmaceutical industry to produce the quantities of vaccine to accomplish this program, and, c) I would like Dr. Fowinkle and Dr. Holden to address the question of whether the public and private sectors of medicine can mobilize effectively to achieve this objective. {AT THE CONCLUSION OF RESPONSES TO THESE QUESTIONS:) 5. At this point, I would like to hear any additional comments or perspectives on these questions. 6. I would like to ask Secretary Mathews and Dr. Cooper to summarize the main points of our discussion and give me their recommendations. PARTICIPANTS Eugene W. Fowinkle, M.D., Commissioner of Public Health, Tennessee Department of Public Health, Nashville. George Hardy, M.D., Health Officer, Jefferson County Health Department, Birmingham, Alabama. Albert G. Randell, M.D., Director of Public Health, City of Houston, Texas. Charles Hall, M.D., Charleston, West Virginia. Merritt B. Lowe, M.D., Greenfield, Massachusetts. Raymond Holden, M.D., Washington, D.C., chairman, A.M.A. Morton s. Hilbert, MPH, CE, Chairman, Department of Environmental and Industrial Health, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Maurice R. Hilleman, Ph.D., Vice President, Herck, Sharp and Dohme Research Laboratories, West Point, PA. John F. Lawlis, Ph.D., Vice President of Biological Operations, Menell-National Laboratories, Swiftwater, PA. Eugene A. Timm, Ph.D., Asst. Division Director, Quality Control and Government Regulations, Parke, Davis and Company, Detroit, Michigan. Alan Gray, Ph.D., Director of Biologics, Merck, Sharp and Dohme, West Point, PA. Alan Bernstein, Ph.D., Managing Director, Wyeth Laboratories, Inc., Marietta, Pennsylvania. Dr. Fred M. Davenport, Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor. Reul A. Stallones, M.D., Dean, University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston. Dr. Floyd Denny, University of North Carolina Department of Pediatrics, Chapel Hill. Edwin Kilbourne, M.D., Chairman, Department of Microbiology, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, City University of New York. Saul Krugman, M.D., Department of Pediatrics, New York. University School of Medicine. Kenneth Mcintosh, M.D., Department of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Colorado Medical Center, Denver, Colorado. Mrs. Dale Bumpers, Bethesda, Maryland. Jasper Williams, M.D., President, National Medical Association, Chicago. Jonas Salk, M.D., Salk Institute for Biological Studies, San Diego, California. Albert B. Sabin, M.D., Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston. Rosalie Abrahms, Senator, National Conference of State Legislatures, Annapolis, Maryland. Francis Francois, Councilman, Prince Georges County, Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Governor Philip Noel, Providence, Rhode Island. Mayor Harvey Sloane, M.D., Louisville, Kentucky. ' HEW Secretary F. David Mathews. Dr. Theodore Cooper, Assistant Secretary for Health. James F. Dickson, M.D., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health. Dr. Donald Frederickson, Direritor, National Institutes of Health. Richard Krause, Director, National Institutes of Allergies and Infectious Diseases. Dr. Harry M. Meyer, Director, Bureau of Biologics, Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Alexander M. Schmidt, Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Food and Drug Administration. Dr. David Sencer, Director, Center for Disease 9ontrol. Staff Jim Cannon Jim Cavanaugh Jim Lynn Paul O'Neill Spencer Johnson Dick Cheney Ron Nessen Jack Marsh Max Friedersdorf Sarah Massengale Dr. Bill Lukash /\.' THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON March 24, 1976 MEMORANDUM FOR: MAX FRIEDERSDORF FROM: JIM CAVI\NAU~_/··'. SUBJECT: Congressional ~otification of the President's Program on Swine Influenza Immunization On Monday the President met with Secretary Mathews and others about a possible outbreak of swine influenza this coming winter. The President, concerned with the potential seriousness of this situation, has convened a panel of influenza experts, medical professionals, public health officers, pharmaceutical executives, and public officials to discuss his plans for a Federal initiative to immunize all Americans against the swine influenza. The meeting will take place in the Cabinet Room at 3:30 p.m. today. Following his discussion with the group, the President will announce his decision. You may want to notify key members of the Health Authorization and Appropriation Committees of the President's decision at 4:00 p.m. this afternoon. The members include Congressmen Rogers, Carter, Flood, and Michel, and Senators Kennedy, Schweiker, Magnuson, and Brooke. TALKING POINTS 1. I am calling to inform you that the President and Secretary Mathews are now meeting with influenza experts, medical professionals, public health officials, pharmaceutical executives, and public officials to discuss a possible swine influenza epidemic next winter. · 2. This meeting is a result of a briefing on Monday by HEW detailing the potential seriousness of this situation. 3. The President will announce his decision to give the go-ahead to industry to produce enough vaccine to immunize every American. 4. The President will send up a $134 million supplemental appropriation request for the FY 1976 budget to support this necessary effort. cc: Jack Marsh .
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